Muslim group calls Santander posts disconcerting, says there's an opportunity at hand

A spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Muslims said there is "a real opportunity here" in the wake of a series of anti-Muslim videos posted by Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander via social media.

Santander posted the videos in the aftermath of the U.S. midterm elections last Tuesday and deleted them two days later.

Steven Zhou, the NCCM's media and communications lead, said while it was disappointing and "very disconcerting" to learn of the posts, the council was hopeful the situation could be turned into a positive.

"Generally I think the majority of our community wants to see a strengthened relationship basically — and education," Zhou said Monday. "And above all, I think everybody wants to see an apology from him."

A message left with Santander's agent/sports management company wasn't immediately returned. The Blue Jays issued a statement last Friday.

"Baseball is for everyone, and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark," the team said. "Individual comments do not represent our organization's values and beliefs."

General manager Ross Atkins was scheduled to hold a media availability Tuesday at Major League Baseball's GM meetings in Las Vegas, a team spokesperson said.

The videos included a Christian preacher saying, "There is no such thing as kind Muslims," with another suggesting Sharia law would be imposed on the U.S. after Abdul El-Sayed was elected to the Senate in Michigan.

El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the first Muslim American U.S. senator. He was the target of Islamophobic rhetoric on the campaign trail.

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